Kofa is a 2022 Nigerian psychological thriller film written and directed by Jude Idada. The film stars Daniel Etim Effiong, Ijeoma Grace Agu, Zainab Balogun, Kate Henshaw, Beverly Naya, Enyinna Nwigwe, and Lucy Ameh. It premiered at the 2022 Africa International Film Festival (AFRIFF) on 10 November 2022, where it won the festival's Best Film award.
''Kofa'' tells the story of a number of strangers who wake up in a locked room without knowing why they are in the room. As they try to discover why they are in that room, the tension grows and many of their secrets come out into the open.
The film received positive reception from critics due to its screenplay, acting, and suspenseful plot. The movie also earned several nominations at the 9th Africa Magic Viewers' Choice Awards, including the Best Actor category for Effiong.
Synopsis Eight unknown people find themselves trapped in a locked room, with no recollection of how they got there, remembering only their names. As they try to make sense of their situation, a man wearing a mask and armed starts taking out people from the room one at a time, making the others solve the puzzle of their situation. In piecing back their memories, they find out that their lives are linked by a past tragedy and have to face the aftermath of their actions.
Cast
Ijeoma Grace Agu as Nnenna Lucy Ameh as Lilian Zainab Balogun as Hauwa Daniel Etim Effiong as Wale Kate Henshaw as Mishelia Gina Castel as Tosin Charles Etubiebi as Nosa Shawn Faqua as Kenule Jude Idada as Senator Umar Carol King as Mrs. Brillo Enyinna Nwigwe as Paul Udoka Oyeka as Captain Archibong Hafiz Oyetoro as Chief Beverly Naya as Franca Bucci Franklin
Reception Writing for The Sun, Henry Akubuiro, described the film as a highly ambitious psychological thriller with the film's suspense and plot twists holding up the viewers' attention despite being relatively weak in the context of the premise used. The reviewer praises the way Idada handled the story by saying that the twists in the story were "top draw" and also compliments the tension created by the movie as well as the confinement. According to Akubuiro, the standout performance in the film was given by Daniel Etim Effiong as Wale. Reviewing the film for NollyCritic, Shalom Obisesan commended the film for its suspense, cinematography, soundtrack, and acting especially Daniel Etim Effiong, Ijeoma Grace Agu, Gina Castel, and Zainab Balogun. However, she criticized the latter part of the film since the plot became more focused on the Boko Haram insurgency and the abduction of Chibok schoolgirls that ultimately created an inconsistent story from what had initially been a good concept, She awarded the film 2.5 out of 5 stars.
Kolapo Mustapha of Nollywood Reinvented praise the film for its characters, directing, and acting performances. Mustapha also lauded Idada's use of misdirection to address broader social issues through the thriller genre. However, he found fault in the way the search scene was executed and picked out some plot twists that he found unbelievable, but concluded that it was still an interesting and effective thriller. The review awarded the film a score of 64%.
Awards and nominations YearAwardCategoryRecipientResultRef2022Africa International Film Festival Best FilmKofaBest ScreenplayJude IdadaBest Actor Daniel Etim-Effiong2023Africa Magic Viewers' Choice AwardsBest Actor In A Drama, Movie Or TV SeriesBest Supporting ActressGina Castel
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